p. 6 | On the March by William A. Spicer

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Nov 18, 1902

On the March

By William A. Spicer

THIS people is not simply a denomination in the world. It is an army on the march.

Born of the fulfillment of prophecy, and charged with carrying the definite message of preparation for the coming of the Lord, this movement represents infinitely more than a denomination preaching moral precepts and exerting a helpful influence.

Just as truly as God led Israel out of Egypt, and into the land of Canaan at last, God has led this people out to bring them quickly to the consummation of their hope, the coming of Jesus and the city of God.

Many in Israel, in the days of the wilderness wanderings, were ready to turn back. They lost the hope and the aim of the movement. But just as soon as God found a people prepared to follow him, the Jordan rolled back, and the wanderings ceased.

Just as soon as we now do the work God has committed to us; just as soon as we bear to the world the warning message that has made us a people and given us a mission in the world apart from others, the Saviour will come.

Let no one now persuade himself that we are to wander indefinitely in the wilderness of this world. Let no one think that the mission of this people is to settle down merely to philanthropic enterprise and humanitarian service.

The greatest injury this people can ever do to humanity is to be disloyal to the mission and the message God has committed to it by the sure word of prophecy.

Every influence that weakens confidence in the third angel’s message, with its definite warning against papal and heathen doctrines, and its definite call to the Sabbath and advent truths, is an influence that delays the completion of the work of God, and adds to the suffering and the misery of this sinful world.

Led of God, the early pioneers in the advent movement grasped the great truths of the message summed up in Rev. 14:6-12. By the preaching of the simple and sure word of prophecy a denomination has been called out to give itself, in every branch, or department, of its work, to the declaration of the message.

Not for a moment are we now to forget that the continuous preaching of this word in new fields and in all lands is the one and only mission we have. It includes every phase of reformatory truth that heaven has for men, and every such truth sounds the keynote of the one message.

We are an army on the march. We are going somewhere. The definite aim is set before us: “This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.”

“The return of Christ to our world will not be long delayed. Let this be the keynote of every message.” So speaks “Testimonies for the Church,” Vol. VI, the latest volume. Every turn of events emphasizes the fact that the end is at hand. Let us ring out the message, every one striking the keynote.

Then, like a mighty army, “a great host, like the host of God,” this movement will sweep across the world to victory. W. A. S.